At the request of the Vaudois insurgents, general Menard, who com- 1798 manded on the frontier towards Italy, prepared to afford them support. Preparatory to this, however, he dispatched Autier, his adjutant, to an interview with Weiss. Unfortunately for the honour and interests of the adherents of the established governments, Autier and two hussars who escorted him were assailed and killed on their route. This outrage furnished the directory with plausible grounds for hostilities. War was now to be waged, not as the allies of the revolted Vaudois only, but to revenge an insult committed against the French republic itself. This event was more to be regretted on account of the critical state of things in the cantons. The council of Berne, in order to conciliate the affections of the people, had, at this time, called together delegates from the German districts of that canton, and was employed, with their assistance, in digesting a plan for new modelling the constitution in a representative form as a means of obviating every reasonable plea for a revolution. Moreover, to inspire the people with confidence, they issued a proclamation, in which, while they acknowledged that there were defects in the constitution, they engaged that these should be remedied, and the abuses in the administration reformed; and they represented the great accession of vigour which the state had acquired from the present unanimity of its members. They then addressed letters to the executive directory, stating the measures which they had adopted to remove the cause of its interposition and recommend themselves to the friendship of the French republic, and dispatched deputies to general Brune, who commanded the French troops in the Pays de Vaud, to solicit the privilege of reforming their constitution without a total revolution, or the interference of a foreign power. All these measures of precaution and prudence were, however, seen to be ineffectual: and the alternative of yielding to oppression, or, with a spirit worthy of their virtuous, brave, and patriotic ancestors, to prepare resolutely for a defence of their liberties, now presented itself. To preclude a possibility of effecting a settlement by conciliatory measures, Mengaud at once dictated the terms by a compliance with which they might merit the friendship of his government: "that they should dismiss " their Z Planta. 2. 414. 17. 1798 " their ancient magistrates, and should suppress their secret council and "council of war: and that, until a new government shall be organized, a provisional one, founded on democratic principles, and in which none " of the members of the ancient government were to be admitted, should " be established." -The rejection of these proposals were to be the signal. of hostilities on the part of France: and, that he might hold out the most inviting lure to the partisans of democracy, Mengaud dispersed abroad. copies of the plan of a new constitution, which, agreeably with those of France and Lombardy, was to be indivisible, purely democratic, and representative.* Nothing could have tended more effectually to rouse the spirit of the rance of our situation," said the virtuous, upright Lavater in a letter written at this period, " I admire the constitution which you force upon us, as a master-piece of human genius, as a noble monument of great policy: I verily believe, that nothing more sublime can be conceived " for a polished nation: but I detest the means with which you require. "command, and force its acceptance." -This sentiment, which prevailed in the minds of all who had any sense of national honour, might have operated as their guardian genius, had not that ruin been brought on them by intestine distraction which no external force could have accomplished.The canton of Basle was, we have seen, already lost to the confederacy. That of Zuric was under the influence of the democrats. Lucerne, Friburg, and Soleure, jealous of the ascendant power of Berne and desirous to see it humbled, not only neglected to send their proper contingent of troops to reinforce the Bernois army, but, by the influence of their example, prevented the small cantons from doing it. Even the Bernois themselves were divided into three parties: the aristocrats headed by the Advoyer Steiguer and general d'Erlach: the moderate party, by general Weiss: and the democrats countenanced and directed by Mengaud, Peter Ochs, and other warm advocates of revolutionary principles.d Under these unpropitious circumstances did the veteran general d'Erlach take the field, with 22,000 Bernois troops, to oppose the conquerors of the • Wood. 391. 92. Planta. 2.415. ► Wood. 304. • Idem. 394. 409. Idem. 392. the Netherlands, of Batavia, and of Italy.-Posting the several divisions of his forces between Soleure and Friburg, he prepared instantly to avail himself of the full powers with which he was invested, and the indignation which the insolence of France had excited in the breasts of his countrymen, to bring his enemy to action. But at that instant, unfortunately, the prevalence of his opponents in the council enabled them to procure a repeal of his powers. || -The present majority in the council, either deceived by the pacific overtures made, at this time, by Brune, or unwilling to proceed resolutely to warlike measures as long as there remained any hope of an amicable settlement, or influenced by the intrigues of Mengaud, entered into a negotiation with Brune; the drift of whose policy soon became manifest. The French general gave his ultimatum to the Bernois deputies sent to treat with him in nearly the same terms with Mengaud. But when he was apprized that the council was rent by faction, and that d'Erlach was embarrassed in his intended operations by the repeal of his powers, he rose higher in his demands, insisting on the immediate dismissal of the Swiss army. -Having protracted the negotiations, and renewed the armistice which had been agreed to between him and the council till general Schawenburg was arrived in the bishoprick of Basle with a strong reinforcement, he then entered on active hostilities. Agreeably with their plan of operations, whilst Brune prepared to attack the centre division of the Swiss army, commanded by d'Erlach himself, near Morat, Schawenburg advanced from Basle; and, after some obstructions from the resolute stand made by the forces posted at the castle of Dornach and the village of Lengnau, he obliged the garrison of Soleure to capitulate. General Pigeon, with another division, in the mean-time, made himself master of Friburg; and with the concurrence of the magistrates, who were friendly to a revolution, he established a provisional government in that canton. On information of these disasters, d'Erlach retired towards Berne, before the united armies of Brune and Schawenburg, amounting to 50,000 men, and well provided with artillery. -Though the movement was judicious; his Planta. 2. 419. 21. March 2. { Wood. 401. 1798 1798 his present position being better calculated for defence and for the protection of the capital, yet a retreat was deemed disgraceful; and a sense of the reproach attached to it afforded the disaffected an occasion of clamour against their general. A mutiny ensued; and great numbers deserted his standard.-When the whole country presented a scene of confusion, the magistrates of Berne, whose wavering conduct had been throughout instrumental to the revolution, forwarded it by surrendering their authority to a number of persons hastily chosen by the people, under the denomination of a provisionary regency. This act soon brought the contest to an issue. The new administration would instantly have capitulated to that army by whose influence they had been invested with power, had they not been restrained by the moderatists and the people. To save their credit with the public, they gave orders for a general attack; and the memorable battle of Frauenbrunnen ensued.† While their forces were preparing for action, they were attacked themselves in different quarters, and behaved with such exemplary bravery as sufficiently evinced that the Swiss might have bidden defiance to all the world had they been united among themselves. The French artillery made prodigious havock among them: yet they not only maintained their ground for a long time, but, in one quarter, they repulsed a division of the enemy with the loss of 2000 men, and seized all their artillery. This success, unfortunately, was balanced by the issue of an attack in another quarter.-So impetuous was the charge of the French cavalry, supported by the horse artillery, that the Swiss, who had only infantry to oppose them were obliged to give way. They, however, rallied: and possessing themselves of a narrow pass, four miles from Berne, they fought with a firmness and valour worthy of their most illustrious ancestors. The women here shared in every danger with the men; some of them joining the ranks, and others rushing among the enemy, and endeavouring to obstruct the artillery by clinging to the wheels of the carriages.-Driven from their ground four times, by dint of superior force, they rallied again, and made their fifth stand near the city gates; nor did they desist from the desperate conflict till more than a third part of their troops were slain. The & Planta. 426. March 5. The remainder, retiring to the mountains near Thun, left the enemy a victory purchased with the loss of 4000 men.-General d'Erlach escaped from the field of battle; but was assassinated by his own troops, who suspected him of treason. The new regency demanding a capitulation, the city was surrendered in the evening of this fatal day, with no other terms than a mere gratuitous protection for the persons and property of the inhabitants. The French troops then entering the city, the tree of liberty was formally planted amidst a concourse of people mourning the loss of their independency, and anticipating all the evils that might be expected to arise from the infatuation or wickedness of their rulers, in submitting to be duped or corrupted by the agents of France. Their melancholy apprehensions were immediately realized in the conduct of their conquerors. The soldiers, regardless of their general's promise, pillaged the shops and rifled the persons of the citizens. The surrounding villages were given up to be plundered: and all those who had property were in consequence reduced from affluence to extreme distress. Brune, mean-time, proceeded to seize those public treasures, which had been the grand object of the expedition, and were to serve as supplies for carrying on other enterprises. And it was computed that, beside the contents of the store-houses and granaries, and that of the arsenal where were found 300 cannon and 40,000 stand of arms, the treasures and forfeited property of the patrician families amounted to 20,000,000 livres. h Such were the first-fruits of the friendship of a state which had proffered its services to the Swiss to relieve them from oppression. But the inconsistency of the French government did not terminate here. They who had filled all Europe with complaints against the powers which had interfered in the domestic affairs of France, who had invited this people to throw themselves under their protection by assuming the specious character of deliverers, as if in derision of truth, honesty, and sincerity, having plundered them of their property, now proceeded to impose a constitution on them. " " This constitution, consisting of twelve articles, divided the whole country, including Rhætia, or the Grison country, into twenty-two departments, h Planta. 2. 431. Wood. 402. VOL. IV. L 1798 |